Farmer cooperatives and associations (FCAs) from Mountain Province received agri-infrastructure interventions from the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera (DA-CAR) through the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) program.
During a turn-over ceremony in Bontoc, Mountain Province recently DA-CAR SAAD awarded certificates of turnover and acceptance to seven FCAs for the completion of various facilities like storage sheds, swine housing, and poultry housing.
The FCAs awarded were Agawa Farmers and Fisherfolk Organization from Besao, Aguid Gardeners Association from Sagada, Anabel Faith Farmers and Fisherfolk Association from Sadanga, Latang Association for Agricultural Development from Barlig, Napua Farmers Timpuyog Organization from Sabangan, Docos Farmers Organization, Inc. from Sagada, and Kiodan Kataguwan Di Umili Organization from Bauko.
Aside from pigs and feeds that were previously given, the turned over infrastructures are part of the enterprise development plans the FCAs have created. These plans contain not only the blueprints of the project, but also the guidelines on how to sustain the projects even if the government support has ended.
The combined amount of the projects totaled to around P3 million.
DA-CAR Regional Executive Director (RED) Cameron Odsey assured the farmer-beneficiaries that the assistance would continue despite the SAAD program Phase 1 ending soon.
“Eventually, SAAD Phase 1 will be concluded this year. Hence, Phase 2 will also commence. But that doesn’t mean that DA’s assistance ends there. We have other programs for those municipalities that were not included as SAAD beneficiaries,” Odsey said in Kankanaey. He also encouraged the farmers to continue to implement their enterprise plans, as well as the LGUs to continue to monitor these projects.
“From our end [DA], we will also continue our support. So, let us help each other. Regardless of the size of the assistance we receive, we should take care of it,” Odsey further expressed.
Meanwhile, officials from the different local government units (LGUs) of Mountain Province expressed their commitment to support the FCAs and the intervention programs of the DA-CAR.
“I would like to extend my thanks to DA-CAR for the programs that you gave in the municipality of Bauko. Most of your interventions coming from SAAD and the Office of [RED] are focused on the development of Bauko. As we commit to support the farmers, we will also continue our support to the programs of DA,” expressed Bauko mayor Randolf Awisan.
“The Municipal Agriculture Office of Sagada also commits to include you [Sagada FCAs] into the masterlist of DA-funded projects, as we will do a proper monitoring of the DA-funded and LGU-funded projects,” Sagada municipal agriculture officer Carmen Fumeg-as explained.
The beneficiaries also thanked DA-CAR for the continuous support. “We express our massive gratitude to SAAD from the feeds to the [swine] housing that you provided. You were an instrument given by God to give us blessings. We will take good care of the things you gave us, so that we can also share these with our barangay,” Napua Farmers Timpuyog Organization chair Clover Felipe expressed. By JBPeralta
